


Birdsong

by ChrysocollaTears



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pet Store, Barry is too pure for this world, Barry whistles with the birds, Cheesy bird names, Fluff, M/M, Queens live in Central City, and accidentally starts bird concerts all the time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 12:33:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16040564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChrysocollaTears/pseuds/ChrysocollaTears
Summary: Barry has an enjoyable encounter with a customer one night at the pet store that just may turn into something more.





	Birdsong

**Author's Note:**

> Here's to hoping ao3 doesn't bully me and posts my author notes.
> 
> Inspired by olivarry discord's most blessed tatsugotchis, Oliver and Barry <3.

When Barry applied to work at the pet store, he hadn't intended on falling in love with it. It was supposed to be temporary, and he'd get a more convenient job when he started college, as opposed to commuting across the city every day on a tight schedule. Nevertheless, he did it. He couldn't possibly part ways with the store, no matter how hard he tried.

He began developing bad habits the longer he spent there, such as whistling as loud as humanly possible during downtime. He was usually overcome with guilt when he riled up the puppies on accident, but the birds _loved_ it. He found that if he whistled the same tune enough, they'd begin tweeting it themselves.

Most birds were in the store long enough to pick up multiple different songs he whistled out in front of them. Among them included cheesy 90's sitcom themes and intricate melodies from video games or anime that he all too frequently got stuck in his head.

The manager had to reprimand him several times for accidentally starting entire concerts during the day, absentmindedly whistling quite often. Barry knew that Eddie secretly loved it too, he just didn't want to admit it.

Barry fostered quite the relationship with the birds where they would stay on his finger or shoulder when he removed them for cage cleaning. In doing this, he was able to isolate the birds and teach them their own individual songs.

A green feathered parakeet named ‘Arrow’ was always tweeting along with classical music, whereas a cockatiel named ‘Speedy’ was gifted in nursery rhymes. Barry was quite proud of his chorus, whether it annoyed the other employees or not.

It was a Monday evening, most of which proved to be slow, so Barry started cleaning the cages earlier, not expecting many more customers. There were a few usuals who had walked in enough to become accustomed to his antics with the birds, and one who actually walked _out_ with a new cat instead of just browsing.

He was in the backroom, cleaning and changing the bedding in the bird's cages. Upon his finger was his favorite parakeet, a mutated red rump named Flash, singing its heart out to Lady Gaga with Barry. He had been at it for quite some time, finishing nearly every cage in a timely fashion, and without interruption.

It was a damn shame that a knock on the door spoiled his fun.

“One second!” he shouted, scrambling to put the bird back in its half-finished cage to open the door.

Standing on the other side was an extremely attractive, clean cut man with a very displeased scowl on his face.

“Can I help you with anything?” Barry asked, trying his hardest to not be intimidated by his freakish good looks and stone cold demeanor.

“Maybe. My sister was in here last week and she mentioned ‘absolutely adoring’ one of the birds she saw, who was singing…Lady Gaga along with an ‘equally cute employee’. Her birthday is tomorrow so I thought the bird would be a pleasant surprise. I'm guessing I found the employee…so maybe you could point me in the direction of that bird?”

Barry's cheeks flared up at the compliment. “How long were you standing out there?”

“Long enough to say with certainty I have the right man,” Barry could've sworn his fixed scowl lifted into a smirk for just a second.

“Admittedly…a lot of birds know some Lady Gaga. My fault. Did she give any other details?” he asked.

“A red parakeet?” he shrugged.

Barry snorted and shook his head. “He's right in here, actually. Do you mind stepping in?”

“Sure?”

Barry held the door open and let him into the backroom, which he really shouldn't be doing, but it was his own fault the bird wasn't in its usual spot. He opened the cage and let it hop off the bar and onto his finger. His feathered friend began hooting and whistling as soon as he poked his head from the cage.

“We call him Flash, and he's quite the singer,” Barry chuckled, holding up his finger to put the bird out on display. “I'm guessing he's the bird your sister saw.”

“Are you certain?” he asked.

“Positive. He's our only red parakeet, actually, who I exclusively whistle Lady Gaga with.”

The man snorted. “What, do they all know different songs?”

Barry proudly nodded. “I like to give them variety, and it'd be way too loud in here if they all sang the same songs at once.”

“You sound like you're speaking from experience,” he observed.

“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't,” Barry nervously chuckled.

The man gave a hum of amusement, and that quick, tiny smile that made Barry's heart flutter alleviated his scowl again.

“Um…do you want to hold him?”

“I guess it couldn't hurt,” he held up his hand and met Barry's fingers, but the bird wouldn't budge. “Name's Oliver, by the way.”

Barry tried to urge him forward, but he refused to leave Barry's hand right away. “Barry…but you probably already knew that.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I did?”

“My nametag?”

Oliver looked down as though he didn't _believe_ he had one. “Oh, right.”

Barry let out a breathy laugh, much to his guest's chagrin. The bird cuddled into Oliver's hand before hopping on and chirping its heart out.

“Aw, he likes you,” Barry cooed.

Oliver held the bird up to marvel at him. “He does?”

He smiled and nodded. “Birds do that when they like someone. Have you ever had one before?”

“I haven't, but she's always wanted one. I'm sure she'll have a better idea of what they're like than me,” he reasoned.

Barry was a little uneasy about sending a bird home with someone who didn't know how to handle them, finding little comfort in his sister's desire for one.

“Do you have a cage or bedding?”

“No, but I intended on getting that here.”

A slight relief. “Good, and you're positive you want Flash?”

“One hundred percent,” Oliver reaffirmed.

“Great! I could help you, if you need it.”

Oliver pondered for a moment. “Can't turn down the offer. I trust you know know what to look for.”

Barry looked at his watch, and he was cutting it dangerously close to closing time. He could always ask for Eddie's forgiveness later. “I'll leave him in here for now and show you around for bedding, cages and anything else.”

“Whatever works.”

He lead Oliver out of the backroom, making sure the cage was secured, lest he come back and need to chase around a loose bird. 

In the end, he must've spent at least an extra twenty minutes after closing time browsing the aisles with Oliver. He tried to tell himself that he was just looking out for his favorite feathered friend, but he knew he was just trying to impress the man.

His quick stop into the pet store wound up costing him over five hundred dollars, even with Barry trying to find the cheapest yet high quality items for the bird. Oliver insisted that he had money to spare, but Barry’s guilty conscious wouldn't allow him to blame anything but himself.

Barry placed the parakeet into a box with small holes poked into it, his least favorite part of the job. He did find some solace in knowing that soon enough, he'd be out of that box and in a proper cage.

“I really appreciate all your help, Barry,” Oliver thanked as Barry walked alongside him, helping bring everything out to the car.

“It's really no problem. Take care of him!” Barry implored him. “And if you have any questions or concerns, don't be a stranger. My number is on the back of the receipt, in case you don't want to call the store.”

Oliver furrowed his brow with a small grin on his face. “Yeah…I will.”

He packed everything into the backseat and the bird in the front with him, thanking Barry again before driving away. In the few moments before he left, Barry was proud of himself for leaving a good impression.

And then, his joy faded when he realized he now had to do _everything_ he should've done earlier before he could go home.

* * *

After spending an additional hour closing up the store and making sure all the animals would be set for the night, Barry made it home exhausted. He was just getting ready for bed when his phone started buzzing, a message from an unsaved number.

He opened it, greeted by an image of Flash in his new cage, with a message attached.

_‘I think he likes it.’_

He was thrilled that Oliver actually texted him. Most people never bothered.

_‘Good, I hope your sister likes him! I'm always here if either of you have any questions :)’_

Oliver replied within seconds. 

_‘I do have some for you, actually. Are you free this Saturday, and how do you feel about coffee?’_

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Critique/comments/kudos always appreciated!


End file.
